News

SFU Physics undergraduate student Aaron Lyons was presented with an award for the best all-around presentation at the 53rd Canadian Undergraduate Physics Conference (CUPC) held in Ottawa in last month. Lyons, a fourth year Biological Physics student, won the award for his presentation on characterizing the mechanical properties of collagen molecules by applying statistical physics methods to atomic force microscopy images of collagen. The presentation was based on supervised research the student conducted with Professor Nancy Forde.

Professor Forde describes Aaron as “an outstanding Biological Physics student. His mastery of both Biology and Physics has enabled him to contribute substantially to new discoveries in my research group. I am very proud of him winning this award. It is extremely well deserved."

The SFU Physics student was given the opportunity to present a condensed talk for a panel of judges from the Canadian Association of Physicists after being presented with the top prize in the Biological and Medical Physics category. In doing so, he earned the award for top all-around presentation across all categories, marking the first time in recent history that the cross-category award was presented CUPC.

The Canadian Undergraduate Physics Conference is the largest conference of its kind in Canada. CUPC 2017 hosted presentations from over 120 students, with attendees from all ten Canadian provinces. Undergraduates from across Canada gave presentations in five separate areas of physics, and awards were presented for the top three presentations in Applied and Engineering Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology, Biological and Medical Physics, Particle and Theoretical Physics, and Quantum and Solid State Physics.